Before leaving, Song Chuyi visited Ma Wangkun one more time. He had recovered well and could now take a few ps around the courtyard by himself every morning. He felt a mix of reverence and trust whenever he saw Song Chuyi—she had arranged for countless doctors to see him, even renowned physicians. Recently, she even went out of her way to bring his wife to visit him and mentioned that even a marriage match for his daughter had been secured. Under Cui Shaoting, he had always lived cautiously, avoiding trouble and just getting through each day. But now, under Song Chuyi's care, he was willing to give his all for her.

  Qingying ughed at him, saying, "There's no rush to help the young dy just yet. Once you're fully recovered, she'll have plenty of work for you. Rest and recover properly. When Ma Yongfu and the others return in a few days, you'll have the chance to reunite."

  Lately, the drama between Duke Ying's household and the Marquis of Wuning's household had become the talk of the town. Whether in storytelling gatherings under bridges or in theaters and taverns, everyone was adding to the tale. The story grew more sensational with each telling, and rumors even cimed that Miss Tong and the seventh young master of the Shen family had long been meeting in secret. Old Lady Song, seated on the couch listening with a cold smile, remarked to First Lady Cui, "It serves them right. In families like ours, good morals are paramount. Duke Ying's heir himself is a... no wonder he raised a son like that."

  First Lady Cui and Lady Yu had only learned of the scandal ter and were shocked to discover that Duke Ying's family and the Marquis of Wuning's family had somehow involved the Marquis of Changning's family. Now, knowing the backstory, they couldn't help but gloat. "In any case, their family and the Marquis of Wuning's are a perfect match, like two peas in a pod, each despising the other. Becoming in-ws will spare others from their chaos in the future."

  Shen Qingrang had made a poor impression on First Lady Cui and Lady Yu during the hunting grounds, and upon returning to the capital, Shen Huizhi's scandalous behavior with Chen Mingyu only solidified their disdain for Duke Ying's family, viewing them as nothing short of a den of wolves and tigers.

  Thinking of Chen Mingyu, Lady Yu became visibly frustrated, momentarily forgetting she had come to ask Old Lady Song to be the "Full Fortune" Lady for Cui Huaying's wedding. She started compining about the Chen family instead. "If it weren't for Xiao Yi holding me back, I would've confronted Old Lady Chen about how she raised her granddaughter. She talks endlessly about virtue, beauty, and grace, but all I see is beauty—everything else is cking."

  (Transtor Xiaobai: The "Full Fortune Lady" (全福夫人, Quanfu Furen) is a traditional role in Chinese wedding customs. This dy, often an elder female retive or family friend known for her good fortune—such as having many children, a stable marriage, and a generally auspicious life—is chosen to preside over certain wedding rituals. Her role is believed to bring blessings, happiness, and prosperity to the newlyweds. She might assist in dressing the bride, lead the bride through specific wedding ceremonies, and guide the couple in symbolic gestures meant to ensure a harmonious and prosperous marriage.)

  Old Lady Song couldn't help recalling how two-faced Old Lady Chen was, revealing one thing to her only to go and cozy up to Noble Consort Xian shortly afterward. In her youth, Old Lady Chen had been notorious for outshining others in social circles, unable to bear anyone surpassing her. Any girl who seemed more outstanding would be reduced to tears by her snide comments. Now, her granddaughter was a perfect replica, though more subtle. Whereas Old Lady Chen had been openly sharp in her youth, Miss Chen wore a gentle and elegant facade, making her even more difficult to guard against.

  "This time, it's partly our own fault for not teaching our children better. If it weren't for Little Fourth's foolishness in being used as a pawn and if she hadn't been so clean and discreet about it, this matter wouldn't have blown over so easily," Old Lady Song admitted, her voice filled with frustration. "Old Lady Chen's family has big ambitions, and Miss Chen is clearly destined to climb high, so no wonder they're willing to go all out to protect her. But while we might let her be to avoid trouble for now, once she's in the inner pace, these tricks won't work so smoothly."

  To survive in the deep pace, one must be exceptionally cunning; after all, the Eastern Pace is already a murky pool, and entering it intact is no small feat.

  Just as Song Chuyi entered and overheard Old Lady Song's remark, she guessed it was about Chen Mingyu and paused in her steps. Zhou Weizhao was right; this wasn't the right moment to deal with Chen Mingyu. Any lesson she wanted to give her would have to wait a little longer.

  First Lady Cui had already noticed her and beckoned her over. Giving her a once-over, she asked, "Where did you go?"

  Like Old Master Song, they both seemed convinced that the whole debacle with the Shen family had something to do with Song Chuyi—after all, plenty of young lords in the capital led wayward lives, and many had committed deeds worse than Shen Qingrang's. In the previous dynasty, a young lord had even secretly courted a widowed princess, yet none of these scandals had caused such an uproar across the city. For them, it was hard to believe there was no push from Song Chuyi behind the scenes.

  Lady Yu gave First Lady Cui a helpless gnce. First Lady Cui always praised everything Song Chuyi did, but privately, she couldn't help but worry for her—this incident had clearly involved the people left behind by Cui Shaoting.

  The extent of tasks Song Chuyi had already assigned to those people was unknown, but the few things Lady Yu was aware of were each more shocking than the st. It wasn't ideal for a young woman to get entangled in such matters. And yet, she was powerless to stop it—each time she wrote to her husband about it, he would reply with pride, expressing full trust in Song Chuyi's decisions and reasoning.

  Frustrated, Lady Yu could do nothing more. Besides, Song Chuyi was indeed remarkable; in just over half a year, she had managed to topple the formidable threat of Prince Duan.

  "Out watching the commotion," Song Chuyi said, waving her elegant gold-speckled fan with a smile on her delicate, beautiful face, though her eyes were cold and emotionless.

  Having spent so much time with her, First Lady Cui immediately recognized what that smile meant. She held Song Chuyi's hand and had her sit beside her, speaking softly, "Yes, you should go enjoy the commotion. But don't rush; with the move you've made, they'll have enough drama for a lifetime."

  The Marquis of Wuning's household was always a spectacle, and once Miss Tong married into the Shen family, daily chaos would surely be a fitting reward for everyone watching.

  Just as she finished speaking, the First Lady entered, smiling, and announced that the Princess of Zhennan had arrived. She expined that after mentioning a recipe for preserved bayberries at a previous gathering, she had decided to bring it over now, especially since she'd heard that First Lady Cui was here as well.

  Old Lady Song raised an eyebrow, recognizing it as a pretext; likely, some news had come from the Shen family in Shangqiu. She nodded with a light smile, "Well, bring her in then! We have everyone gathered today anyway, so let's have a small celebration. Bring out all the camellias that Jue'er brought; let's enjoy them together."

  ____

  Note: This Shen family in Shangqiu is not the same Shen family of Duke Ying's.